Allegory “woman with oil lamp”, biscuit, Gibus Et Redon in Limoges

Beautiful polychrome figure in biscuit, allegory of fire or winter. A draped goddess, hair in the wind, protects the flame of her oil lamp. Very good condition, gold highlights. Marked in hollow GR for the Limoges factory Gibus and Redon.

H 37cm – base diameter 12.5 cm

Limoges, mid-19th century

Lit: Pierre-Justin Gibus, a cousin of two renown hatter brothers in Paris, born in 1821, joined forces in 1853 with Alpinien Margaine and Martial Redon to set up the porcelain factory ‘Gibus & Cie’, which attracted attention at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1855, where it presented luxury items and artistic biscuits. In the 1860s, the factory, located on rue des Trois-Châtains, employed up to 200 people and produced porcelain that was partly sold directly in the company’s shop at 39 rue Paradis-Poissonnière in Paris, and partly destined for decoration workshops, notably the Haviland company. In 1872, after Margaine withdrew, the new company ‘Gibus et Redon’ moved to a new factory in the Faubourg des Casseaux, with three large kilns and 250 employees. It was one of the four main factories at the time, along with Haviland, Alluaud and Pouyat. Gibus retired in 1881, but remained very active in the Limoges Chamber of Commerce, serving as treasurer until his death in 1897. His partner Martial Redon ran the company, and was succeeded by his son Joseph, who became a partner in Barny and Rigoni in 1902, before handing over to Langle. Paul Jouhanneaud and his son Charles took over the business, which became ‘La Porcelaine Limousine’ in 1906, and was then run by Georges Magne until its closure in 1938. Porcelain-maker Alexandre Chastagner bought the disused factory in 1945, before building a new one nearby, now demolished, which operated from 1958 to 2002. (source: Amitiés Généalogiques du Limousin)